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SALMON FEVER
Southland is the home to many large trout. All sorts of people, from Members of Parliament, to toddlers barely able to walk, take to the regions rivers and lakes in pursuit of trout which are by and large relatively abundant. In fact the Mataura River is about the most popular brown trout fishery in the country, and locals would claim one of the best in the world. Trout are everywhere in all the region's rivers, streams and lakes. People who don't have access to such fishing travel across the world for it. Many of us treat it rather casually. Not me of course, but I know a few who do! Familiarity breeds contempt and all that.
When something turns up that is a bit different, anglers and others who would never think about chasing a trout turn out with anything that resembles a fishing rod and attempt to catch them. When that newcomer is liable to be a great silvery monster half as big as many young anglers, lots of wannabe anglers appear.
Currently the wharves at Bluff are crowded with hopefuls who think it might just be their turn to bring home the big one. Many have already done so. While actual numbers are a little difficult to pin down there can be no doubt that many salmon are about. Fishers in boats in the harbour and a few along the coast have been successful too.
The Bluff fishery is similar to the one in the Otago harbour where salmon are released from time to time to maintain stocks. Those fish in the 7 - 8 kg size class are three years old but there are others only 2-3 kg too. These fish are only two years old but still a worthy fish to take home for tea.
Over the past half a dozen years salmon have been caught in Southland's rivers and for those who don't own a boat or don't like fishing in a crowd this year is likely to be a year when the odds on catching a salmon in a Southland river is a little better than winning lotto. Usually the fish are few and far between but with the appearance of larger than usual numbers of salmon at Bluff it is more than likely that some will find their way into the Oreti, the Waiau or Mataura perhaps, and be tempted by a lure tossed into the water for a trout.
The first of these fish have already been caught with a salmon of about 15lbs (about 7kg) being taken from the Oreti in its lower reaches a few days ago. The Oreti is low at present so other anglers fishing there may just strike something a little larger than the usual 1 - 2 kg brown trout over the next few weeks. Make sure you have tied good knots and have got a strong line. Make sure you have your fishing licence too!
Maurice Rodway
Southland, New Zealand E-mail: fishgame@southnet.co.nz Article ©1998 Maurice Rodway, All Rights Reserved. |
